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Endangered black rhino born at Iowa zoo

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Monday, October 17, 2016
9:43:21 EDT PM

An unnamed, newborn eastern black rhino walks around with it's mother, Ayana, Monday Oct. 17, 2016, at the Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines, Iowa. The endangered eastern black rhino mother gave birth to the female, 80-pound calf on Oct. 11, and is likely the first endangered rhino born in the state of Iowa, according zoo officials. “This is an extremely significant event — not only in Blank Park Zoo’s 50 year history, but also for this critically endangered animal species,” zoo CEO Mark Vukovich said. (Rodney White/The Des Moines Register via AP)

Zoo CEO Mark Vukovich called the birth “an extremely significant event” for the zoo and efforts to reverse a long decline in the number of black rhinos. The animal’s combined wild and captive population now numbers less than 1,000.

The two adult black rhinos at Blank Park are among 46 housed in North American zoos. Of those, only six are breeding females.

Zoo spokesman Ryan Bickel says the calf was standing and walking within an hour of birth and attempted to feed within two hours, which are signs of a healthy baby rhino.